Unruly Conduct: Controversy over KWAM1’s ‘relationship’ with Tinubu
At the heat of the back and forth over unruly conduct involving the Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM1), also known as K1 De Ultimate during a ValueJet flight from Abuja to Lagos, and the one involving Ms Comfort Emmerson on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, hysterically tagged KWAM2, a video […]
KWAM1.
At the heat of the back and forth over unruly conduct involving the Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM1), also known as K1 De Ultimate during a ValueJet flight from Abuja to Lagos, and the one involving Ms Comfort Emmerson on an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos, hysterically tagged KWAM2, a video clip emerged with the musician having a telephone conversation with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
But the video showed that the conversation happened during the demise of the musician’s mother in January this year, and from the conversation, KWAM1 addressed the president as Akanbi,
Apart from being referred to as Asiwaju, Akanbi is also the president’s epithet; and in the Yoruba cultural cosmology, someone who calls another with his praise name must have a strong affinity with him.
The conversation with the president was highly convivial, which showed the depth of closeness between him and the musician. In fact, when the president, during the telephone conversation prayed, “You will not suffer after your mother’s demise,” he responded: “How can I suffer when I have you as president.”
Fast-forward to Tuesday, August 5, 2025 when news broke that KWAM1 was involved in a case of unruly conduct at the airport.
It happened when the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) released a statement to the effect that licences of two pilots of ValueJet, a Nigerian domestic carrier, had been suspended.
The following day, it became clear that K1 De Ultimate was the lead character in a matter that would trigger a massive social media frenzy, drawing attention to Nigeria’s aviation protocol.
According to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), preliminary investigations confirmed that the passenger was scheduled to board the morning flight to Lagos, operated by ValueJet Airlines (Flight VK 201).
During boarding, the passenger attempted to carry an unidentified liquid substance on board despite repeated warnings from Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel and the flight captain, the FAAN explained.
The FAAN stated that in accordance with international aviation security standards, specifically Nigeria’s National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP) and ICAO Annex 17, liquids exceeding 100ml “are not permitted through security screening unless medically necessary and properly declared.”
It stated that the passenger was informed of this regulation but he reportedly declined to comply.
While the boarding continued, an airline security officer was said to have asked the musician to step aside for further clarification.
However, the passenger allegedly refused and spilled the contents of the flask on the officer, which turned out to be alcohol.
Amidst this explanation came several video clips, which showed how KWAM1 blocked the belly of the aircraft in a bid to prevent it from taking off.
While the indiscretion of the pilots was also questioned, in the civil aviation ecosystem, the act of KWAM1 is considered a very grievous offence, something that could be termed an act of terrorism in other climes as the NCAA aptly put it. This explained while the regulatory authority swiftly blacklisted him, barring him from flying for six months to show the severity of his offence.
However, last Friday, he quickly tendered an apology, describing the incident as unfortunate.
KWAM1 and Asiwaju
Referred to as the King of Fuji Music, KWAM1, with the full name, Olasunkanmi Ayinde Marshal or K1 De Ultimate, was said to have discovered his talent from a tender age of 8. He joined the band of the late Fuji maestro, Alhaji Ayinde Barrister, and after learning the ropes from Barrister, he decided to go solo, releasing his first album in 1980.
Those close to the president said KWAM1’s relationship is as old as the time he released his first album as his genre of music is loved and enjoyed by many, especially in the South-West. The president is also a great fan of Ayinde; and their relationship has blossomed over decades.
Wasiu remained the de-facto official musician of the president as a governor for eight years.
In fact, in the worst of times, Wasiu was said to have been loyal to the president as he pursued his political career from his Social Democratic Party (SDP) days, the NADECO days, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); the Action Congress (AC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Though born in Lagos 68 years ago, Wasiu Ayinde is a prince from Ijebu in Ogun State and has no family background or affinity with the president. But the relationship has garnered ample strength and blossomed overtime that the two have become very close as reflected in the telephone conversation.
Those who are close to the president said KWAM1 had demonstrated huge loyalty to him.
A strong APC member in Lagos who spoke anonymously, in a chat with Weekend Trust said, “Overtime, Wasiu has remained very consistent with Mr President, and you cannot but give it to him. When it comes to situations like that too, you expect that there should be some reciprocity. The relationship is not more than that of a musician and a fan, but it has been cemented overtime. KWAM1 has stood by the president, even at a great risk to his life. He has been very firm, and I respect him for that.”
As the president toured the nooks and crannies of the country during the electioneering, Wasiu was always on the stage. No other musician has taken his place or can take his place, at least for now.
This is why, when the ValueJet matter came up, many Nigerians were waiting to see how the matter would be handled as it involved a “friend of the president.”
And from the decisions of the federal government as revealed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), it was crystal-clear that political expediency had trumped rule of law in the matter.
KWAM1’s case was, however, worsened by the unruly conduct of the Ibom Air’s passenger, which happened five days after his conduct and tagged KWAM2. This incident brought back the almost forgotten case of the musician as many saw it as a recurring incident that needed to be curbed.
While Emmanson was hurriedly arrested, charged to court and remanded in the Kirikiri Maximum Prison, KWAM1 was walked freely despite the severity of his conduct, raising concerns about the selective justice in Nigeria’s judiciary. In fact, with his (KWAM1’s) apology last Friday, a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said it’s better all those being held in prison for one crime or another be allowed to tender an apology while they are set free. “After all, Evans (the billionaire kidnapper) apologised,” he said.
Announcing the verdict of the federal government, the minister, who announced the withdrawal of charges against the Ibom Air passenger, said the six-month ban imposed on KWAM1 would now be reduced to one month while he would be engaged by FAAN as an Ambassador of Airport Security Protocol.
Not many believe the verdict is a soft landing for KWAM1 anchored on political expediency and a decision to pat the president’s friend in the back to avoid going through the full dictates of the law.
Unruly conduct in global aviation space is a major offence as stipulated by the International Civil Aviation (ICAO) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
Part 17 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations defines unruly passenger as “any passenger who becomes unruly at the airport terminal or on board an aircraft and commits an offence. The word “unruly” as used in this section refers to but is not limited to the following acts: smoking on board an aircraft or in a non-smoking area of the terminal building; use of mobile phones or other communication/electronics gadgets on board an aircraft without the approval of the aircraft commander; fighting or other disorderly conduct on board an aircraft or at the terminal building; any conduct/act constituting a nuisance to other passengers; disobedience of lawful instructions issued by the aircraft commander, flight crew, cabin attendants, check-in staff or security screening staff; any conduct that endangers or is likely to endanger the safety of flight operations; tampering with smoke detectors and other aircraft equipment.”
Section 17.97.3 states, “Where any passenger becomes unruly on board an aircraft or at the terminal building, the aircraft commander or airport authority shall take necessary measures, including restraint where necessary: to protect the safety of the aircraft, terminal building or of persons or property therein, or to maintain good order and discipline on board, or at the terminal building; and to enable him deliver such person to competent authorities.”
The FAAN bye-law also provides stringent sanctions for passengers involved in unruly conduct within the vicinity of the airport, airside or the terminal hall.
Soft-landing for all
But rather than the full wrath of the law being applied, political expediency was applied in resolving the two recent cases of unruly conduct, which some aviation analysts and legal experts frowned upon.
An aviation security analyst, Group Capt John Ojikutu (retd), in a chat with Weekend Trust, disagreed with the government’s decision, saying it questions Nigeria’s commitment to implementing ICAO’s standard and recommended practice (SARS).
“The ICAO will get to us on the next audits and the foreign airlines will tell us soon on their flight tickets fares, which will be brought up by the premium insurance on the Nigeria airport due to their insecurity and the interferences of the political officeholders in the management of the airport security,” he said.
However, a renowned constitutional lawyer, Itse Sagay backed the decisions of the federal government on the cases of unruly conduct involving KWAM1 and Emmanson.
In a chat with Weekend Trust, Sagay said there had not been cases in the recent past with such prominence and national interest.
He said both parties had learnt their lessons, saying the decisions had sent a clear message to Nigerians to respect aviation protocol, no matter how highly placed they are.
Amidst the criticism that trailed the decision, especially the appointment of KWAM1 as an ambassador, Sagay said, “I think that since we have not had cases like this in the past, it got prominence from the press and the social media. I think I agree generally with what the federal government has done.
“Let this be a warning to all of us. In the case of KWAM 1, you cannot be too big in those circumstances; particularly that air travel is such a delicate and risky thing. And the rules are very strict.
“You have to obey, no matter how high you are. You can always make formal reports of anything that is wrong later to the appropriate authorities, not to take law into your own hands. And the young lady too, I don’t really know what possessed her. She was so angry. I have never seen anyone so furious and exercising so much disruptive physical activity.
“But I think she has had a very bad consequence of what she did. We have been very heavy on her, almost bringing in sympathy, particularly the way she lost her dress in the process of misbehaving.
“I think this is a good one by the government to everybody. After this, anybody misbehaving again in any manner cannot say that it should be overlooked because now, we know that we should conduct ourselves with extreme care and obey the instructions of airline staff because that form of travel is delicate. Airline staff, particularly the captain, is given a lot of power.”
On the ambassadorial position to KWAM1, he said, “Yes, I think the ambassadorship is being taken in the wrong way – that he is being rewarded. The way I see it is that you have misbehaved in this aspect of national activity, now use your talent to make up for that misbehaviour and promote our air travel and obedience to rules and so on.
“He is now being used to correct what he has done wrongly and promote the interest of our airline services in Nigeria. I think it is okay.”